Dart construction

ABSTRACT

A dart construction comprising a weighted head portion, a metallic shaft secured thereto and extending therefrom and terminating in a point, and a plastic shaft threadedly attached to the head portion and extending in an opposite direction from the metallic point in substantial alignment therewith, said plastic shaft having a tubular member slidably received thereon, said tubular member having a plurality of vanes extending integrally therefrom, and an integral collar on the plastic shaft for maintaining the tubular member snugly positioned between said collar and the head portion. The collar has a pair of diametrically opposed openings therein for facilitating turning movement of the shaft when being threaded to the head.

United States Patent Rizzo 5] June 27, 1972 [54] DART CONSTRUCTION 517,651 2 1940 Great Britain ..273/106.5 R [72] Inventor: Banal Rizzo, Providence, R'L 591,882 9/1947 Great Britain ..273/l06.5 R

[73] Assignee: Hasbro Industries, Inc., Pawtucket, RI. Primary Exam ner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro [22] Flled 1970 Attorney-Salter & Michaelson [2!] App]. No.: 86,545 a [57] ABSTRACT [52] US, Cl, 373/1065 R A dart construction comprising a weighted head portion, a [5|] 1m, (1|, I I I A631, 65/02 metallic shaft secured thereto and extending therefrom and [58] Field of Search ..273/l06.5 R, 106.5 c terminating in a point, and a plastic shaft threadedly attached to the head portion and extending in an opposite direction [56] Refere Cit d from the metallic point in substantial alignment therewith, said plastic shaft having a tubular member slidably received UNITED STATES PATENTS thereon, said tubular member having a plurality of vanes ex- 3 042 3/1961 Barnett 273/106 5 R tending integrally therefrom, and an integral collar on the plastic shaft for maintaining the tubular member snugly posi- 3,425,695 2/1969 Kestenbaum ..273/ 106.5 R tioned between Said collar and the head portion. The collar FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS has a pair of diametrically opposed openings therein for facilitating turning movement of the shaft when being 445,590 4/1936 Great Britain ..273/l06.5 R threaded to the head 526,321 9/1940 Great Britain ....273/l06.5 R 477,821 1/l938 Great Britain ..273/l06.5 C 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures x s I I MP 20 s 22 I l as \2 4 th- I 34 a; K 2" /38 as PATENTEDJUHN 1972 7 3,672,678

Fig.1. F15 6.

Inventor; Bartolo Rizzo,

Att fys.

by y

DART CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a dart construction, and more particularly to the type of dart designed for outdoor use. Thus, the instant invention is concerned with a dart that is thrown through the air to a horizontally disposed round target, the object being to impale the dart in the ground within the prescribed target. Darts of this type obviously have to be heavier and more rugged than the traditional indoor darts designed to be thrown against a dart board. It is therefore usual to construct outdoor darts of this type with a weighted metallic pointed front end and with metallic shaft means extending rearwardly therefrom on which the vanes of the dart are mounted. Such constructions, while generally satisfactory in use, have proven to be somewhat complicated and expensive to manufacture, hence the desirability of providing'a dart of this general type, which, with the exception of the weighted metallic pointed front end, is completely of molded plastic construction and embodies a minimum number of moving parts, thus simplifying manufacture and assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide a dart construction wherein, with the exception of the weighted metallic pointed front end, the dart construction is entirely of plastic construction, and, specifically, with the exception of the weighted front end, embodies only two separate parts.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a dart construction of the character described that is therefore simple and economically feasible to manufacture and assemble, but which nevertheless has proven to be both effective and durable in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the-accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing which illustrates the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a dart construction constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, there is shown generally at a dart construction comprising a weighted head portion 12, a metallic shaft 14 extending from one end thereof and terminating in point 16, an elongated plastic shaft 18 extending from the opposite end of head portion 12, and a tubular portion 20 having vanes 22 extending integrally therefrom.

As will be noted, the weighted head portion 12, which is constructed of any suitable metallic material, such as lead or the like, is of generally cylindrical configuration and has a bore 24 extending longitudinally therethrough. The bore 24 has a reduced portion 26 and an enlarged threaded portion 28. The reduced portion 26 defines a shoulder 30 against which the end of shaft 14 is forced, as illustrated most clearly in FIG. 3, it being understood that shaft 14 is a tight press fit within bore 24. In order to more rigidly secure the shaft 14 within bore 24, the shaft is provided with serrations 32.

The plastic shaft 18 is threaded as at 34, it being understood that the threaded end 34 is adapted to threadedly engage within the threaded portion 28 of bore 24 in order to securely assemble shaft 18 to head portion 12. It will be understood that the shaft 18 may be threadedly turned inwardly into head portion 12 until the end of shaft 18 engages the shoulder 36 defined by the beginning of enlarged. threaded bore portion 28. In order to impart rigidity to the plastic shaft 18, a metallic nail 38 is driven longitudinally into shaft 18 at its threaded end 34 as shown rnost clearl in FIG. 3.

lidably mounted on s aft 18 is tubular portion 20 which integrally carries the outwardly extending flight vanes 22. The tubular portion 20 and its vanes 22 are preferably of molded plastic construction and hence comprise a unitary assembly. a

In order to securely mount the tubular portion 20 on shaft 18, the latter is provided with an enlarged circular collar 40 which is integrally molded as a part of the plastic shaft 18, it being understood that during assembly of the dart 10 the tubular portion 20 is first slidably mounted on shaft 18 until the upper end of the tubular portion engages the collar 40, after which the threaded end 34 of shaft 18 is threadedly engaged in the threaded bore portion 28 of head portion 12 until the distance between the adjacent end of head portion 12 in collar 40 is substantially equal to the length of tubular portion 20 whereupon the latter will be maintained against longitudinal sliding movement on the shaft 18. In order to facilitate turning movement of shaft 18, the collar 40 is provided with diametrically opposed openings 42 which may be engaged by a suitable turning wrench or other tool.

It will therefore be seen that the dart 10 actually comprises only three separable parts, assuming that the weighted head portion 12 of shaft 14 which is integrated thereto is considered as one part, the other two parts being the molded plastic shaft 18 and the molded plastic tubular portion 20 with its integral vanes 22. As previously described, the dart 10 is extremely easy to assembly and disassemble whenever necessary, and by having the major concentration of weight at the head or pointed end of the dart, the dart has proven to be extremely effective in use and operation.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dart comprising a weighted head portion, a metallic shaft secured to said head portion and extending therefrom and terminating in a point, a plastic shaft threadedly engaging said head portion and extending therefrom in oppositely disposed alignment with said metallic shaft, a tubular sleeve slidably received on said plastic shaft, said sleeve having a plurality of integral vanes extending outwardly therefrom, and means on said plastic shaft maintaining said tubular sleeve snugly positioned between said means and said head portion, said means comprising an integral collar on said plastic shaft, said collar having a pair of diametrically opposed openings therein for facilitating turning movement of said plastic shaft.

2. In the dart of claim 1, said tubular sleeve and vanes being of molded plastic construction. 

1. A dart comprising a weighted head portion, a metallic shaft secured to said head portion and extending therefrom and terminating in a point, a plastic shaft threadedly engaging said head portion and extending therefrom in oppositely disposed alignment with said metallic shaft, a tubular sleeve slidably received on said plastic shaft, said sleeve having a plurality of integral vanes extending outwardly therefrom, and means on said plastic shaft maintaining said tubular sleeve snugly positioned between said means and said head portion, said means comprising an integral collar on said plastic shaft, said Collar having a pair of diametrically opposed openings therein for facilitating turning movement of said plastic shaft.
 2. In the dart of claim 1, said tubular sleeve and vanes being of molded plastic construction. 